1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manipulator for moving a workpiece from a given position to a predetermined position in a variety of industrial robot systems such as an apparatus for feeding a workpiece and an apparatus for carrying a workpiece or an apparatus for taking out a molded product.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional manipulator for feeding or carrying a workpiece to a predetermined position by reciprocating a chuck member for chucking the workpiece, the chuck member is moved by means of a feeding screw or a nut connected to a electromotive motor or a cylinder.
Where this type of prior art manipuilator is concerned, however, a moving stroke of the chuck member is confined to a cylinder stroke or a length of axial line of the feeding screw. For this reason, the cylinder having a long stroke or the feeding screw similarly having the long stroke has to be employed in order to move the chuck member with a long stroke. This results in an increase both in size and in weight of the apparatus, which further leads to a rise in cost. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a manipulator capable of moving a chuck member with a long stroke by employing a cylinder having a relatively long stroke or a feeding screw having a relatively small length of axial line and of diminishing both a size and a weight of the apparatus, thereby reducing the costs.
To this end, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a manipulator capable of moving the chuck member at a velocity higher than a moving velocity of a driving member and of decreasing a moving time of a workpiece.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent on reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.